In recent weeks, two popular out-of-state chains have announced their L.A. debuts: Five Guys opened last week and Papaya King is opening on May 18. But was the frantic blog surfing and twitter tracking worth it? After reading about the opening online, an L.A. secretary, who works near Culver City's Westfield Fox Hills mall, took a trip to Five Guys during her lunch hour. As she returned to the office, stepping into the elevator, a man standing beside her leered down at her spoils. “Is that Five Guys?” he asked. The woman looked closely at her white paper bag with no visible logo. “How'd you know?” she said. The man smiled, “I could smell it.”

In other opening news, Michael Voltaggio's Ink is well underway. Yesterday, the chef tweeted “Space is built out, Looks like July opening of ink. sorry for the delay but I think we are finally in our count down #fingerscrossed.” And downtown's über-local cafe, Daily Dose, opened on April 28th, after years of planning and months of delays.

But what goes up must eventually come down: Essex Public House closed last month, as did Gyenari Korean BBQ. The high-priced (already rented) spaces, didn't stay vacant for long. If, after reading this, you're still itching to open a place of your own, Derek's Bistro in Pasadena, which closed in March, is still looking for a sucker buyer, as far as we know.

A list of April Openings and Closures…

OPENINGS

Boho: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 465-8500.

Boulevard Tavern: 6683 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles.

Daily Dose: 1820 Industrial St., Los Angeles.

Five Guys: 6000 Sepulveda Blvd., Ste 1301, Culver City; (310) 391-0603.

Heirloom LA Food Truck

Lindy & Grundy: 801 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 951-0804.

Oak Fire Pizzeria & Pub: 13359 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

CLOSURES

Derek's Bistro:181 E Glenarm St., Pasadena. (closed in March).

Essex Public House: 6683 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles.

Gyenari Korean BBQ: 9540 Culver Blvd., Culver City.

Li's: 8961 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach (closed in March).

The Salad Bowl: 350 N Canon, Beverly Hills; (310) 858-8432 (closed in March).

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